References
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[1] This Adinkra symbol, called Adinkrahene, stands for greatness, charisma, and leadership.
[2] I use the terms Afrocentric(ity), African-centered, and Africentric(ity) in a synonymous fashion throughout this document.
[3] I should note here that although race is a socially constructed category and Asante (1998) has argued that the term "Black African" should not be used when referring to the African, other respected African-centered scholars such as Diop (1987), Jones (1992), and Wilson (1998) have seen fit to do so.
[4] Such a process serves not only the interests of African people but also the interests of all non-African people, who are also damaged by the teaching of a distorted and falsified history of Africa and the world.
[5] Preceding Western Asian, Greek, and Roman invasions also disrupted and assaulted African culture; however, I tend to believe that the following Arab and European invasions were the most systematic with respect to the destruction of African culture. Others may disagree.
[6] My statement here is not meant to indicate that cultural appropriation only occurred during times of foreign domination; nor is it meant to assert that cultural appropriation is a one-way process.
[7] Later, European Americans would keep the institution of slavery alive in order to further develop and expand American economic, social, political and military power.
[8] Although he is not considered an African-centered scholar, William Watkins (2001) presents an excellent discussion of the European's (and the European American's) creation of scientific and institutional racism and colonial education.
[9] However, due to the many sociocultural, political, and economic benefits of Afrocentricity I agree with Amos Wilson's (1998) argument that African people should engage in Afrocentric discourse whether or not Arab and/ or European/ European American hegemony and oppression exist.
[10] By traditional African societies I am referring to the classical African civilizations and the multitudes of ancient societies that were created when Africans branched off from them and spread over the rest of the African continent. The civilizations of Carthage, Mali, Ghana, Songhay, Zululand, and Zimbabwe are but a few examples. Saving Carthage (which was destroyed by the Romans), these societies remained free and un-dominated by non-African people until the periods of the Arab and the European created slave trades and colonial conquests of Africa. And, through armed resistance, some of these societies even extended their freedom well beyond the onset of these periods. For more information on traditional African societies see Diop (1974), Williams (1974), and Clarke (1993).
[11] Hegemonic Eurocentrism is a worldview that is based on normalizing the historical and cultural perspectives of European peoples and negating the historical and cultural perspectives of non-European peoples. Thus, hegemonic Eurocentrism works to maintain White supremacy.
[12] I must note that even though Thompson is not considered an African-centered scholar, her definition of culture would appeal to many thinkers engaged in African-centered discourse.
[13] While some of these educators recommend a curriculum that matches a variety of learning styles, some of them argue that the traditional disciplines must be totally changed to reflect an integrated curriculum that matches a holistic type of learning style.
[14] Not all of these processes are mutually exclusive.
[15] Akbar is a clinical psychologist and even though he does not directly state that he is partly using a therapist—patient type of framework, I believe that he does in fact demonstrate the reflective process that I am referring to.
[16] The Maafa should never be forgotten. Thus, I do not mean to suggest that victims forget about the assault and/ or simply get over it. On the contrary, victims must understand the nature of the assault so that they are not consumed and immobilized by it.
Kamau Ashanti (Darryn Roberts) is currently studying curriculum development in the Department of Educational Leadership, Miami University, Ohio. His current research interests include African-centered curriculum, critical pedagogy, and cultural studies. He may be contacted at
robertdc@muohio.edu http://www.units.muohio.edu/eduleadership/anthology/